Well, not so much!

I am indeed back, but I still can't move photos from storage to the Galleries page. Hope springs eternal so I will keep trying to get it to work!

I may be back!?

If you haven't noticed, I have not posted for a while. I was for all intents and purposes, locked out of the page. I was on one ISP, I am on another now. It appears to play well with Squarespace so I hope I can get back to it! I will be cleaning up some file issues and will try to get all the news letters I have missed and I have pictures from a couple of Modelcons I will post if I am really able to.

Better late than never!

Finally getting around to posting a link to the 2019 IPMS USA National Convention website....it's only been up and live since mid-September!

Click here to see what's new with the Nat's planning!

It's in the bag...

Stick a fork in it, it's done!  The 2013 IPMS USA Nationals is in the history books.  The awards are done, the models are packed, and the last of the modelers just abandoned the bar.  I have to say that this was a GREAT convention.  This is my 7th Nationals in a row, and my 8th in 9 years.  I'd say this one ranks in the top three for sure.  The venue is great.  The local area is great.  And for some reason, everything worked.  If anything was going wrong behind the scenes, the host chapter(s) kept it hushed up, and from this correspondent's perspective, everything came off without a hitch.

A couple of statistics.  There were about 750 entrants, and a little over 2500 models entered.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know, you want to know what  won.  Well, first off, the local boys done good.  Tom, Ken, and I all are returning home with multiple awards, and at least 5 first places between the three of us. Now, here's a list of all the big winners I can remember....

Best Aircraft...1/48 scale SUPER detailed Tamiya P-51D

Best Armor...1/35 Cougar MRAP

 Best Auto...1/9 SCRATCH BUILT Farmall tractorBest Ship...Scratch Built USS LangleyMichael Fritz Best WWIAnd......

The Popular Best in show:

And finally...The George Lee Judges' Grand Award goes to:

For the rest of the major award winners, please accept my apologies.  It's been a long week, and this was all I could remember for sure from the awards.

On to next year...Hampton VA.

And 2015?????  Survey says...Columbus OH!

Off to bed now.  Gotta get some sleep before the long drive home...

Dat Dat Dat Da Duhhhh, DaDaDa Duh Duh Da Duhhhh, DuhDa Duh Da Da Dahhhh Da Duh Duh Daaa, Da Duh Da Da DAAAAAAAAAAAAA.... (to the tune of Looney Tunes)

TTTTHHHAAATTTSSS All Folks

Saturday

Well, the odessey draws to an end.  Last night was the judging.  I can say I was very lucky.  I once again judged aircraft, and ended up on a good team.  Joe Youngerman and I judged together last year as well, and our third was a great guy as well, so our part went very smoothly.  Due to a large number of jjudges, we were done with the aircraft in about 3 hours.  Very nice.  But it did look like Tom got stuck with a bit of a slower team.  On the upside, at least he got his 10 year pin!  Congratulations Tom.

After judging, it was time to adjourn to the bar.  All I can say is that I stayed at least one Margarita too long.  The old noggin wasn't feeling too good when the alarm rang to get me out of bed for the business meeting.

The business meeting was actually pretty interesting.  The first order of business was talking about the plans for next year's 50th Anniversary of IPMS USA.  There are several cool things afoot.

First, every region is being asked to include a 50th Anniversary Theme Award in their Regional Show.  The national office will supply the award.  All they ask is that a photo of the winning model and modeler be submitted to them, and then there will be a display of all the pictures in Hampton Roads.  In  addition, a good number of foreign chapters have expressed interest in participaing in this.  It should be a really cool display at next year's Nats!

Second, we are getting great interest from manufacturers and other hobby businesses.  Squadron will be putting a 2014 Nats flyer in every mail order next year.  Several model manufacturers have expressed interest in putting some form of 50th Anniversary logo on their kit boxes next year.  And Airfix is apparently at least strongly considering issuing a special kit next year to commemorate the 50th Anniversary.

And finally, the organization is going to work hard to get all the print magazines to rin stories about IPMS and it's 50 year history.  All in all, it really sounds like plans for a spectacular year are coming together.

Once again, there is a link below to another set of pictures.  They are all taken with my iPhone, so you'll have to forgive me for some of the poorer quality pictures.   The other day I raved about the scratch built tractor.  Today I'll rave about a spectacular P-51.  It's the 1/48 Tamiya kit with EXTENSIVE scratch built detail in the engine, avionics, wheel, and gun bays.  I judged it last night and can tell you that like the tractor, pictures just don't do it justice.

Ok, so this is the link to today's pictures.

And now, it's off to dinner, and then the awards to see who gets to celebrate, and who gets to cry.  And then of course, it's time to pack the models, say the final good byes, and tell each other we'll see you next year.  I'll do my best to post how us local yokels did later tonight!